Aerum Kirin
Every now and again, stories spread through nearby villages like wildfire. Eventually the gossip reaches The Keep. What appears to be nothing more than idle talk to the villagers is occasionally truly magical, and magi leave to investigate. One such recent tale is an account of how a traveler found himself lost in a snowy wood, with night fast approaching. The man was far from home and was sure to be the victim of either hungry wolves or the bitter cold. Suddenly, the weary journeyer found himself on the edge of a meadow, with a full moon showing through the falling snow. It was a beautiful sight, and the clearing seemed almost to glow from the light of the moon. The man decided to stop and rest for a while. After only a few moments, a beautiful creature appeared before him, walking across the newly fallen snow but leaving no mark. The description of the creature matched that of a kirin, the magi deduced, but a kirin like no one had ever seen. Instead of warm colors, the kirin seemed to be a part of winter itself, pale colors barely discernable from the snow. The kirin lead the astonished traveler for miles and miles, all the way to the edge of the nearest town. The man gasped with relief at the sight of the village's lights, but when he turned to thank the creature, it was gone as if it had never been. Upon hearing the story, many magi set out to find the marvelous kirin, but no one could find any trace of it – until one foolish young magi found himself beset upon by an angry bear. A kirin – perhaps the same one – arrived just in time and allowed the magi to ride away to safety. The fortunate youth survived and returned to The Keep with not one, but three of the rare eggs. This was a huge feat, for a kirin is impossible to find if it does not wish to be found. Egg Several scales cover this strange egg, and its shell is cold to the touch. Hatchling Many argue that kirin fawns are the most sedate and dignified of hatchlings. While other young love to play amongst themselves and receive attention, winter kirins are somber hatchlings, preferring to observe. Every once in a while, though, a magi will stumble across a group of kirin hatchlings playing some made up game, prancing about and falling over each other. If caught, the hatchlings immediately halt their game and pretend as if nothing ever happened. Then the group usually runs for the shelter of some nearby trees, disappearing from view. Young kirins love to explore the woods, and it is not uncommon for them to be gone for days. Even the smallest kirin hatchling is able to provide for itself and is in no danger when gone from the castle. Adult Though winter kirin hatchlings are certainly very pretty, they grow to be most exquisite creatures. Their manes thicken, their coats seem almost to shine, and they grow truly magnificent antlers. These antlers are what differentiate the two types of kirins. Argaent kirins have silver antlers, beautiful to behold but able to slice through flesh with ease. Those with golden antlers, which are equally sharp, are named aerum kirin. The two are much the same, though aerum kirin are more likely to be spotted during the daytime, while argaent kirin are completely nocturnal. Their personalities are much alike though; they are gracious creatures, always attentive and caring. Even the youngest kirin hatchling is able to tell if someone is in pain, and will go to the hurt person at once. As they age, witner kirins travel further and further from The Keep to find those in need. A magi fortunate enough to have one of these selfless creatures as a companion should become used to their absence. As winter slowly melts away, so too do the winter kirins, off to colder lands. Though cold climates have been magically created for their benefit, kirins are too wild at heart and most cannot stand to be penned in for months on end. Instead, winter kirins make a long trek to the north, bringing older fawns along with them. Kirin companions who are either too young or old to make the trip are made comfortable at The Keep, where blocks of ice and heaps of snow are conjured daily. It is thought that on their journey to the north, these companions mingle with wild kirin, enjoying freezing temperatures and constant snowstorms. Breeding Additional Information * No. 248 * Obtained from the Donation Shop for 5 (December 2011) * Released: December 1st, 2011 * Artist: Glasswalker, Xenomorph * Description: Damien Category:2011 Creatures Category:Donation Category:Artist: Glasswalker Category:Artist: Xenomorph Category:Deers Category:Kirins